As a pre-mission teenager studying at Brigham Young University, I took a number of religion classes. It has been satisfying to look over some of the papers I wrote for those classes and to see how my understanding and writing style have progressed. While this text certainly doesn’t represent my best work, I thought I’d include it here just for fun.
“Where do you think you’ll go, son?” my mom asked me, the tone in her voice anticipating some sort of profound prophesy.
I inhaled, preparing to mention the name of some far away, exotic place where I’d spend the next two years preaching the gospel, where I’d learn to labor and love more profoundly — more powerfully — than I’d ever thought possible. But before I could utter a word, Kelsey Kay, the cutest little baby sister in the entire world, interrupted.
“Mom,” she said, a slight hint of frustration in her voice, “it’s Jesus that gets to decide!”
Those words — wisdom from the mouth of babes — are the very essence of missionary work. Three hundred thousand new converts a year! Over sixty thousand missionaries in the field! And why are those servants of the Lord there? For self gratification or to “see the world?” To escape the pressures of school or to obtain the riches of men? No! They have heeded to voice of Him who gets to decide and have accepted a call to labor where and when He has chosen.
What an honor it is to represent the Lord — to bring some of His precious children into His church that they might share in the eternal joy He has therein provided! What an awesome responsibility to represent Jesus Christ and to proclaim His Word to those who have prepared themselves to receive it! It is with great anticipation that I accept the Lord’s call — His decision — that I serve in the Maceió, Brazil mission, the finest mission on earth.